Friday, 24 June 2016

Hedenham Wood

Last year the Norfolk Moth Survey went to Tindall Wood in the Ditchingham Estate. I can't remember why I couldn't, or didn't go, but recall thinking I would have liked to have been there when I heard what they saw. This year NMS returned to the estate but targetting a different wood in a different tetrad - Hedenham Wood, and I made sure I was there. Heavy rain prior to dusk brought the temperatures down which was a shame, but even so I think we were all surprised and a bit disappointed about quite how few moths there were. Nevertheless there were some interesting moths making the trip worthwhile.

Two macros were my favourites, if not necessarily the best. One was a Green Arches - not a species that was new to me but I've only seen a couple before and both were worn and almost more grey than green. Not so with this verdant delight!

Green Arches, Hedenham Wood, 11th June

The second was a lifer for me, though if I counted moths that other people had trapped, potted and brought to me then I would have already counted it. It was another very smart moth, an Alder Moth.

Alder Moth, Hedenham Wood, 11th June

Rarer than either of those was a micro, at least we think so but it is awaiting gen det to confirm. It looks like Blotched Piercer Pammene albuginana which would be a new one for me.

Finally on the way home we found a moth in the car which turned out to be Little Grass-veneer Platytes cerussella. This mainly Breckland species can only have come from the wood where I think it's a new species for the 10k square.

Quite a few Green Lacewings flying around, of which all those identified (mainly by Paul Cobb, this one by me) were Chrysopidia ciliata - a common species but with me being new to Lacewing ID it was new for me.

Chrysopidia ciliata, Hedenham Wood, 11th June

Also the odd Brown Lacewings, of which all those identified were Micromus paganus.

Three caddisflies were retained for ID - Limnephilus auricula is the caddis I've seen most of this year, Limnephilus affinis I've not seen nearly as often and Micropterna lateralis was one I had suspected in previous years but my first confirmed with a key.

Until recenlty I've been finding my new venture of caddisfly identification refreshngly straightforward. That has tended to be the case with the genus Limnephilus, though not always, and today's were 3 auricula, 3 lunatus and my first Limnephilus rhombicus this year.

Limnephilus rhombicus, North Elmham, 11th June

Limnephilus lunatus, North Elmham, 11th June

Some of the other genera aren't so easy and I find female Hydropsyche a particular challenge. I'm pretty sure most so far have been pellucidula, though right now I'm not feeling quite confident enough to submit the records. One of today's four was a bit different, or so it seemed, and I have identified it, if slightly tentatively, as Hydropsyche siltalai.